Nirmala Sitharaman Urges Higher Voter Turnout For 'Celebration Of Democracy'

There is a certain level of indifference irrespective of which party people vote for, according to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on the ongoing election which witnessed a lower percentage of voter turnout.

The minister, in an exclusive interview with NDTV, said the summer heat coinciding with the elections may have affected the voter turnout. She, however, said she wishes to see a greater turnout in the “celebration of democracy”.

Most parts of subcontinental India witnessed an intense heatwave over the past few weeks, with temperatures hovering around 45-50 degrees Celsius.

“While looking at the (voting) percentage in some states, the numbers show that there can be a decline in the numbers of people who turned out to vote, but as absolute numbers that stand out to be more,” she said.

The ongoing Lok Sabha elections, running from April to June 1, involve nearly 100 crore eligible voters choosing representatives for 543 Lok Sabha seats. The seventh and last phase of the election will be held on June 1, with results being declared three days later.

Women, the minister said, have observed the multiple public welfare schemes launched by the Bharatiya Janata Party that have worked in their favour, adding it has encouraged them to “give their stamp of approval”.